Of dead and winter

Chapter Five: The Arrival

Grayden stood at the edge of the pristine courtyard of Auradon Prep, his eyes fixed on the horizon. His heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and anxiety as he waited for the limo carrying the villain kids. He had never met his half-sister Mal, and she had no idea he even existed. Today, all of that would change.

The sun was shining brightly, casting a golden glow over the manicured lawns and grand buildings of Auradon Prep. Students milled about, whispering excitedly about the arrival of the infamous Isle kids. Grayden, however, felt isolated in his thoughts, a storm of emotions swirling inside him. He clenched his fists, trying to calm the nervous energy coursing through his veins. This was it—the moment he'd been waiting for.

In the distance, the sleek, black limo finally came into view. Grayden's breath caught in his throat. His half-sister, Mal, was inside that vehicle, completely unaware of the connection they shared. He wondered what she was like beyond the stories he had heard and the glimpses he had seen through magical means. Would she be like him, struggling with the weight of their shared heritage? Or would she see him as just another obstacle in her path?

The limo rolled to a stop, and Grayden's pulse quickened. The door opened slowly, and one by one, the villain kids emerged. Evie, with her blue hair and confident smile; Carlos, looking nervous but determined; and Jay, with his swagger and easy grin. Finally, Mal stepped out, her purple hair catching the light and her eyes scanning the crowd with a mixture of defiance and curiosity.

Grayden took a deep breath and stepped forward, his eyes locked on Mal. She was so close now, and yet he felt an overwhelming distance between them. How would he even begin to bridge that gap? He had rehearsed this moment a thousand times in his head, but now that it was here, all his plans seemed to scatter like leaves in the wind.

As Mal's gaze fell upon him, Grayden felt a jolt of recognition. There was something in her eyes, a spark that mirrored his own. He took another step forward with his best friend Ben and Ben's girlfriend Audrey.

"Welcome to Auradon," Ben said, smiling genuinely. "I'm Ben."

"Prince Benjamin and soon to be king!"
Audrey squeals. Grayden rolls his eyes, getting an amused look from the VK's including Mal.
"And I'm Princess Audrey, his girlfriend."

"Yes." Ben nods uneasily before nodding towards Grayden.

"Welcome, I'm Prince Grayden of Arendelle."
He winces at the proper announcement of who he is. He wonders if that will ward them off. The VK's probably thought he was stuck up royalty now. He kept to his thoughts as he watched Ben say his prepared speech to Jay, Carlos, Evie, and Mal.

Mal looked at him, her expression guarded. "Or the day you show four people where the bathrooms are..." she replied shortly, her eyes casting slight amusement at Ben as if she was trying to figure him out.

"A little over the top?"

"More than a little bit."
Ben nods chuckling. Grayden watched in almost horror as Audrey stepped forward interrupting the moment the two were having. The Prince of the Underworld is right behind her ready to set her in her place.

"Oh, you're Maleficent's daughter, right? You know I totally don't blame you for your mom cursing my mother." Audrey pauses, "Oh my Mom's  Aura-"

"Sleeping Beauty." Three voices say at once. Grayden comes to stand on the other side of Ben.
"We've all heard the story. It puts me to sleep every time." The VK's share a grin at this. Grayden winks at Evie as he continues lowering his voice for only then to hear, "If you want to be a bitch Audrey, go bark somewhere else."

Audrey practically fumes ready to retort but Ben claps his hands together giving both royals a knowing look. "Let's start the tour, yes?"

Ben and Audrey leave after showcasing the impressive statue of Ben's father, King Adam.
Ben bids his best friend farewell telling him not to cause any trouble. In return, Grayden smirks with glimmering teeth. Once gone he turns to face the VK's who he shares more understanding with than anyone else on this side of Auradon. They all look bored and he could understand that but he knew there was more there. They were curious but too 'cool' to admit it.

Grayden led the way, his demeanor cold as he guided Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay through the pristine halls of Auradon Prep. He couldn't help but throw in the occasional sarcastic comment, testing the waters with these newcomers. "So, this is the grand library," he said, gesturing to the vast room filled with shelves upon shelves of books. "Feel free to use it if you ever get tired of causing trouble. Which I doubt, but hey, the option's there."

Jay smirked, clearly enjoying Grayden's dry humor. "Trouble? Us? Never."

Grayden rolled his eyes, continuing the tour. "And here we have the cafeteria. The food is decent if you like bland and healthy. But don't worry, I'm sure you can sneak in something more exciting."

Carlos chuckled nervously, glancing around. "Thanks for the tip."

As they approached the dormitories, Grayden paused outside a set of grand double doors. "And this is where you'll be staying," he announced, pushing the doors open to reveal a spacious, well-appointed room. "Try not to wreck the place, okay? The cleaning staff is not paid nearly enough to deal with your mess."

Mal raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "We'll try our best, Your Highness."

Grayden's expression softened for a moment. "Good. Now, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Just, you know, keep it reasonable. We're not miracle workers here." He glanced at Mal, his eyes lingering for a second longer than necessary. "And remember, the school's motto: 'Be good, be kind, and don't set anything on fire.' That last part is especially important."

As he turned to leave, Grayden couldn't resist one final remark. "And one more thing," he said over his shoulder, "Welcome to Auradon Prep. Try not to burn it down on your first day." With that, he started to walk away, planning to leave the VKs to settle into their new home, the echoes of his sarcastic comments lingering in the air.

To his surprise, it's Mal voice that calls him back,
"Who are you, exactly? Why'd you stick up for us, huh?"

He spins on his heel with a thoughtful expression.
"I'm Grayden, the son of Elsa, ya know, the Snow Queen."

"But those comments to that pink prissy brat?
What was that?" Evie questions coming up beside him. She was breathtaking and she held a certain grace to her steps that he hadn't quite seen before. Evie was a Princess in her own right, no matter what Audrey would say.

Grayden shrugs, "Audrey gets on every one's nerves. Any chance to give her a hard time, I take it."

Carlos eyes him nervously, "But there's more. You risked getting in trouble by the Fairy and Prince Ben? So why do it then?"

"Well, we all have secrets don't we?"
With that, Grayden swiftly excites the girls room, reminding the boys of the curfew of when they'd need to be back to their own dorms.